Allen Hirsch has found his own unique means of expression through representational painting by combining his interests in optics, neuropsychology, and classical European art.

Hirsch's intense dedication on his work over the past 30 years has spanned several careers:

His interest in the enigma of surface and depth in painting resulted in his invention of "string painting" in the late 1990's. Specks of paint on an array of nylon strings suspended over a plain ground use the contructive abilities of our eyes and brain to recreate an image that appears to float within. This illustrates his idea of painting as "the translation of the seen back into the unseen."

His explorations with the self-portrait, which number in the thousands, reveal new connections between art and science. He has documented how personality is expressed through each side of the face, and how the brain projects it's own lateralization through the artist's hand.

As a portrait artist, Allen Hirsch was a favorite cover artist for TIME magazine. His portraits of Gaddafi, Khomeni, Gandhi, himself and others graced the covers during the mid-1980's and early 90's. He also painted the inaugural portrait of President Bill Clinton for the National Portrait Gallery in Washington in 1993.

As a landscape painter, he has painted the streets of New York for 20 years for which he earned a landscape award from the National Academy of Design museum in 1998. His interest in landscape painting as with portraiture is in capturing a psychological space illuminated inside the canvas. This show will include works from New York and Venezuela.

Allen Hirsch was born in Los Angeles, California in 1959. He studied art extensively in London, Florence, Syracuse and New York. His work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, the White House, Sindin Gallery (NYC), Society of Illustrators, National Academy Museum, Ron Hall Gallery (Dallas), Quick Art Museum (NY), Louis Stern Fine Arts (Los Angeles), Allan Stone galleries (NYC) Indiana University Art Museum, and American Art (Carmel, CA).

May 1, 2003

Luhring Augustine presents punk Picasso, a major new work by Larry Clark.

This installation consists of photographs, collages and other material collected and produced by the artist over the course of his entire life. These objects are also the original material that make up the pages of the much anticipated book, punk Picasso, due to be released this summer.

The autobiographical material in punk Picasso collectively documents both the personal story, and the artistic projects undertaken by Larry Clark. Unique photographs, letters and stories both from Clark’s art and film career graphically depict the life of one of the most controversial and highly influential figures in contemporary culture. This exhibition will include approximately 250 framed, mixed media collages, photographs, and objects that represent a significant portion of Clark’s oeuvre, and vividly illustrate his uncompromising aesthetic.

Best known for his haunting portrayal of teen subculture in his photography books, Tulsa and Teenage Lust, Larry Clark continues to be a significant figure in contemporary art and film. His work is included in important museum collections in the United States, Europe and Asia, including the Whitney Museum, MOCA LA, and the Frankfurt Museum für Moderne Kunst. Clark's groundbreaking first feature film, Kids, was released in 1995 to critical acclaim. Clark’s fifth feature film Ken Park is due to be released in theaters in June 2003.

Published by AKA Editions, the autobiographical, artist book, punk Picasso is due to be released in July. punk Picasso will be produced in a limited edition of 1000, with 10 boxed special editions that will include a unique photograph, a soundtrack, and other original items with the book. For more information, please contact Roth/Horowitz at (212) 717-9067.